Live at the Marquee to give Cork economy €30m boost

The local economy in Cork city is set to receive a cash boost of in the region of €30 million as thousands attend the "Live at the Marquee" series of shows which gets underway on Thursday with a performance of Riverdance.

Twenty-five shows will take place in the specially constructed marquee at the Docklands site up until July 14th.

Acts scheduled to perform include among others Lionel Richie, Chic, Billy Idol, Beck, Ellie Goulding, ZZ Top, John Legend, Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and festival perennial Christy Moore.

Comedian Dara O'Briain will also take to the stage and there will also be a strong Irish presence with acts such as Van Morrison, The Coronas, The Frames, Kodaline and Damien Rice.

Promoter, Peter Aiken, says the Cork concerts have a special atmosphere about them with even Rod Stewart remarking on the carnival type vibe in the marquee tent.

“When Rod Stewart was here the crowd sang everything with him. It would have put hairs on the back of your neck.

"Then he went on the Graham Norton show and said it. This girl had a hat on saying 'I am from Cork.' Rod said 'there is a big tent there' and he was asked what it was like and he said it was the first time his barnet had stood up on its end for a while.

“The crowds are great. Billy Idol’s mother is coming to the show here. She is from Cork. She will be in the VIP area. The guitarist in the band also has a mother and father from Cork. I am looking forward to all the shows. It’s going to be great.”

“Live at the Marquee” was originally conceived as an event to take place during Cork’s tenure as European Capital of Culture in 2005.

It was then decided to continue with the events in the years that followed. In 2007, the organisers of the event decided to relocate from Monaghan Road to the Docklands on Centre Park Road in Cork.

In previous years performers such as Brian Wilson, Diana Ross, Al Green, Duran Duran, Bob Dylan and Elton John have played at the 5,000 capacity venue as part of the series.

Full details of the gigs can be obtained from the Aiken Promotions website www.aikenpromotions.com